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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask about tweens/teen girls and leg hair

56 replies

Bimmy76 · 22/11/2018 10:47

My DD has been asking about shaving her legs. It seems v young to me- I wondered what other people’s experience was? When did your DD do this? What’s the earliest you would feel ok with?

I also wondered whether I should talk to her about other methods of hair removal- I wish I’d started off waxing rather than shaving. But 11 seems far too young for waxing and I don’t want her to think that I think she needs to remove hair.

OP posts:
agnurse · 22/11/2018 16:13

My kid is 14 and started shaving within the last year or so.

I've always felt that it was up to the child as to when they were ready.

OlderThanAverageforMN · 22/11/2018 16:27

I bought my DD's ladyshavers in their early teens. One very dark, thick hair, one very white, but still thick and long hair, so pale but hairy. So I didn't have a problem with them shaving. I also dealt with the mono-brow on the dark one quite early, she still berates me for early primary pictures with the full hairy experience Blush. Now however, they are a bit older, and it worries them less, and none of us really bother doing our legs in the winter.

I do find it sad though that our girls, due to peer pressure, bullying and societal norms, fell that they have to shave at such a young age. Both girls had this, and you have to wonder where those other girls were getting their cues from.

Sheitgeist · 22/11/2018 16:29

It would be pretty mean to prevent a self conscious child who wants to remove hair from doing so. The correct age is when they want to.

OlderThanAverageforMN · 22/11/2018 16:29

Lots of people saying "when they are ready" - but in reality it is when someone else tells them that they should Sad.

YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan · 22/11/2018 16:32

My daughter was 10 (year 6). She does have really hairy legs though and was getting teased about it at school.

Feefeetrixabelle · 22/11/2018 17:10

@olderthanaverageformn no one said anything to me, nobody bullied me, I had minimum exposure to media. I asked because it’s what I wanted.

kimmy3001 · 22/11/2018 17:14

Bottom line is some kids are just fucking horrible! They take great pleasure in making others feel awful about themselves. My 6 yo DD has come home from school and said "nobody wanted to be in my group today because they said I'm weird because of my freckles so I was just on my own" my heart broke for her. If I could help my child feel more confident in themselves including shaving legs etc I'd do it in a heartbeat no matter the age

SnuggyBuggy · 22/11/2018 17:16

@olderthanaverageformn, sadly I think that is the case

Karwomannghia · 22/11/2018 17:20

Older- just asked my dd and she said no one told her she should shave her armpits, but she probably noticed her friends did.

Aragog · 22/11/2018 17:48

Dd would have been a round this age maybe slightly earlier. Started puberty quite early and hair darkened. Started with a mitt thing but it was rubbish so she used the cream. I helped her first few tunes using the one for sensitive skin. Was fine.

LilMy33 · 22/11/2018 17:51

My daughter is 11 and really wants to shave her legs but as she’s so blonde the hair is barely visible right now so I’m trying to put her off for a bit longer to save her the bother of the upkeep as at least it’s soft hair right now. If it was a lot darker and she was more upset by it I’d have relented though. It’s such an awkward age why make it worse?

AnnaMagnani · 22/11/2018 17:53

I was 11 and that was back in the mid 80s.

My DM got me waxing ASAP which was much better.

Ztst · 22/11/2018 17:55

10yo shaves armpits and legs. Peer pressure and dark hair.

LilMy33 · 22/11/2018 17:55

Oh and the reason my daughter wanted to shave her legs was because she was/is being teased/bullied about it by the class
Bully. I told her to call her out on it every single time. Ask her “why are you staring at my legs while I’m getting changed? That’s weird” with a look of disdain. Luckily my daughter is confident enough to do that and it worked for her after several goes. Not all children are able to do that. I really can’t stand kids like that though.

CIT80 · 22/11/2018 17:55

If it bothers her let her shave them - don’t get why people are precious over body hair.
If you like it leave it, if you don’t get rid of it

AornisHades · 22/11/2018 17:56

Are ladyshaves much of a muchness? I have never shaved my legs (blonde, fine and barely visible) so I don't know where to start with dd who's got much darker hair.

Mumof1andacat · 22/11/2018 18:01

I have a Phillips lady shave. Can be used wet or dry. It works well

BabySharkAteMyHamster · 22/11/2018 18:01

Dd started doing hers when she was 8 or so. She just used my ladyshave.

She's blonde but has thick, black hair on her legs for some reason.

It was fine and something that had been bothering her was resolved in minutes. It's her body, who am I to say what she can do with the hair on it ?

She's late teens now and only shaves in the summer from.what i've noticed.........her brother on the other hand I have a massive issue with shaving as he keeps breaking my damn razors with his gorilla suit Angry

whiteroseredrose · 22/11/2018 18:04

DD has been having her legs waxed since starting secondary school. She has dark hair and it was becoming an issue for her.

Cherries101 · 22/11/2018 18:32

When your daughter tells you she wants to shave her body hair off, then she’s ready to start shaving. It’s not up to you to police her body like that. It will only breed resentment.

Allthewaves · 22/11/2018 18:46

I burned myself with hair removal cream he first year of high school. After that my mum took me to salon to get my moustache and eyebrows done and taught me to shave

Rachelover40 · 22/11/2018 19:27

I don't like depilatory creams like Veet, messy and smelly even if you shower after and around the bikini area they bring me out in a rash. Waxing caused gross skin trauma too. Much prefer shaving, I use a good razor and do it when I'm lathered up in shower, doesn't take long.

AornisHades · 22/11/2018 22:00

Thanks Mum :) I've bought her one of those this evening.

MrsStrowman · 22/11/2018 23:27

I think I was around 11/12 and took a chunk out of my ankle, still have a scar. Wish my mum had spoken to me about waxing/immac

Bunnyjo · 22/11/2018 23:52

DD became conscious of her dark leg hair when she started secondary (she's in Year 7 and 11). I am half Greek Cypriot and I distinctly remember grabbing my dad's electric shaver at 12 in a desperate attempt to rid myself of my dark leg hair.

She asked me if she could do something to get rid of it and I could see she was getting quite distressed, so we had a good talk about the options during half term. We discussed the pros and cons of shaving, hair removal creams and waxing.

She opted for waxing with a beauty therapist and she was delighted with the results - the therapist took her time (over 45 mins) and ensured DD was comfortable throughout.

I am glad my DD felt she could come to me and I hope that waxing from the beginning will be best in the long-term for her.